Property damage occurs on a daily basis due to extreme weather conditions such as wind gusts, hurricanes or the like weather systems that produce high winds. Such events cause the loss of personal property when a roof covering is destroyed, exposing both the building interior and its contents to the same elements that caused the loss of the roof. Numerous attempts have been made to eliminate or limit the damage to the roofs due to high winds and/or heavy rains, however, such attempts have largely proven to be unsuccessful or not commercially feasible.
For instance, it has been proposed to partially remove existing roofs to allow installation of mechanical fastening systems to provide roof reinforcement, however, such methods are extremely labor intensive and in view of the associated cost have not met with a great deal of success. Additionally, heavier gauge and/or reinforced shingles have been produced, but are also costly due to required removal and reinstallation.
A problem with conventional shingles is that strong winds are capable of generating strong uplift forces in excess of 100 lbs./sq. ft., resulting in the tearing or shearing of shingles from their underlying support members. The use of mechanical fasteners, such as nails or screws do not provide a broad enough area of resistance to withstand such forces. The heads of the fasteners tear through the shingle in random fashion resulting in shingle loss and subsequent damage to the structure. Reinforcement with glues and various adhesives and the inclusion of additional standard mechanical fasteners have helped, but fail to provide viable protection when exposed to high wind speeds including hurricane-force winds. Use of adhesive on older roofs is again costly and the required movement of a shingle for placement of adhesive can cause damage to the shingles in and of itself. During a storm, should one or more of the shingles become torn from the support members, the entire roof covering or a large portion thereof can be easily torn from the structure. The exposed interior of the building, along with its contents, are then subject to water and wind damage, resulting in extensive loss.